The JEO Foundation volunteered to help the backpack program in Wahoo by packing and delivering food items to the public and catholic schools in Wahoo.
On Wednesday, November 15, 2017 a group of seven volunteers gathered in the basement of Bethlehem Lutheran Church where they sorted and packed 70 grocery bags with nutritious perishable food items. Once the bags were packed, they were loaded in our vehicle and delivered to the schools.
The backpack program, coordinated by the Saunders County Ministerial Association, began in 2012 helping local children in families experiencing food insecurities. Every Friday over 70 children bring home healthy snacks and easy-to-prepare foods in their backpacks to help offset any food shortages they might face over a weekend.
Proteins, fruits, and vegetables are staples in the bags every week. The food items in the bags rotate on a four-week basis. Once a month a jar of peanut butter is provided.
The food is packed in grocery bags so the students receiving the food don’t stand out. The school staff then distribute the bags for students to carry home in their own backpacks.
